United States VS. Belarus Preview
United States VS. Belarus PreviewThe United States will look to take its first step in regaining its Fed Cup World Group status for 2013 when it faces Belarus at the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group II First Round. Play begins Saturday, February 4, at 1:00 p.m. ET on an indoor hard court at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass. This is the first-ever meeting between these two nations in Fed Cup.
This will mark the first time in Fed Cup history that the U.S. has been forced to compete in the World Group II. Should the U.S. defeat Belarus, it will advance back to the World Group Playoff, where the U.S. was undefeated in two ties before losing last year to Germany in Stuttgart. This tie will be just the second time that Belarus has competed in the World Group II since it began competing in Fed Cup in 1994. Belarus lost to the Czech Republic in the 1999 World Group II first round and ultimately dropped back into zonal competition. Belarus beat Estonia 5-0 at home last year in the World Group II playoff to advance to this tie versus the U.S.
The U.S. team will include both Serena and Venus Williams. They will be joined by young American Christina McHale, who reached the third round of the 2011 US Open, and world No. 1 doubles player Liezel Huber. Sloane Stephens, the daughter of the late New England Patriots running back John Stephens, will serve as the fifth member of the team.
The Belarusian team will feature new world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, who defeated Maria Sharapova in the Australian Open final on January 28 to claim her first Grand Slam title.
The opening day of play in the best-of-five match series features each country’s No. 1 singles player against the No. 2 player from the opposing country. The exact order of play (which country’s No. 1 plays first) will be determined at the Draw Ceremony, which will be held on Friday, February 3. The second day of competition begins on Sunday with the “reverse singles,” starting with each country’s No. 1 player squaring off followed by the No. 2 players and then the doubles match. Each match is best-of-three-sets.
Topics: Fed Cup, United States vs. Belarus
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